Five Steps to Efficiently Navigate Earned Value Management with Confidence

Efficiency matters now more than ever. In today’s rapidly evolving defense and government contracting landscape, program planning and controls are under unprecedented scrutiny. With shrinking budgets, rising expectations, and continuously evolving project requirements, efficiency is no longer optional—it’s essential for survival and success.

The Top EVM and DoD Scheduling Challenges

Defense contractors and government agencies consistently face:

• Evolving Compliance Standards: Keeping pace with changing federal and DoD EVM guidelines.
• Data Integration Hurdles: Bridging gaps between cost, schedule, and technical performance data.
• Quality Reporting: Delivering timely, accurate, and actionable information for decision-makers.
• Resource Constraints: Managing limited resources across complex, multi-project portfolios.
• Risk Mitigation: Identifying and addressing risks before they impact cost or schedule.

Why Efficiency Matters Now

With hundreds of EVM programs supported and a footprint in over 30+ U.S. states, ClearPlan’s experience shows that efficient program controls directly reduce the risk of cost overruns, schedule delays, and compliance issues. In today’s environment, efficiency means:

• Strategic implementation of technology and proper integration of tools
• Implementation of processes that work to achieve specific objectives
• Removing silos of data for faster, more reliable reporting cycles
• Improving and standardizing program information sharing
• Just-in-time practical Training that empowers workers to do their job effectively and consistently
• Improved ability to adapt to variances and changing requirements

How to Efficiently and Correctly Navigate Earned Value Management (EVM) with Confidence

It is imperative to establish a comprehensive performance measurement baseline (PMB) from the beginning. To accomplish this efficiently, it is important to leverage proven tools such as Deltek Cobra, clear processes, and useful templates. Doing so ensures that all stakeholders agree on the starting point and enables the team to execute effectively against the established baseline. Here are 5 key steps in the baselining process:

1. Define the Complete Scope of Work. Clearly define 100% of the project’s work using a product-oriented Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This ensures every deliverable and task is accounted for and provides a basis for measuring progress.
2. Develop a Logical and Integrated Project Schedule. Build a detailed schedule that logically sequences tasks and milestones. The schedule should support the WBS and provide clear timelines for each work package.
3. Allocate a Time-Phased Budget to Control Accounts. Assign budgets (Planned Value) to each work package or control account. Budgets should be time-phased to align with the project schedule, enabling accurate tracking of planned versus actual progress.
4. Establish Objective Methods for Measuring Work Accomplishment. Define clear, objective criteria for measuring progress against each work package (such as the 0/100, 50/50, or milestone-based methods). This ensures that earned value is credited only for completed work, not just effort expended.
5. Implement a System to Manage Performance and Control Changes. Set up processes to track actual costs, analyze variances, forecast final costs, assess risk, and manage changes to the baseline. This includes regular performance reviews and a formal change control process to maintain baseline integrity.

Establishing these five elements forms the backbone of a robust EVM system, enabling confident, efficient, and accurate project performance management.

To further streamline your setup, look to automate data flows wherever possible to minimize manual errors and leverage dashboards and real-time analytics for early warnings of variances. And don’t forget to empower your team with training to take full advantage of your tools (efficiency) and consider updating processes and tools when it makes sense to reflect best practices and evolving requirements.

It’s Time For Your Success

The ClearPlan and Deltek partnership formed to help organizations be compliant, reduce risk, control costs, and stay ahead of schedule. Together, we combine world-class software with deep domain expertise—delivering integrated solutions that work in the real world.

In today’s fast-paced, compliance-driven environment, the ClearPlan + Deltek advantage empowers your team with:

• Faster, more reliable and compliant reporting through expertly implemented Deltek tools, including Deltek Cobra
• The flexibility to adapt to shifting requirements (DFARs, etc.) with confidence
• Stronger integration and collaboration, aligning people, data, and systems for efficiency and better decisions

When you pair the right tools with the right expertise, efficiency becomes your edge—and your programs become stronger, more predictable, and more successful.

Efficiency isn’t just a competitive advantage—it’s the foundation for program success in today’s defense industry.